Today, Gov. John Bel Edwards commented on Attorney General Jeff Landry’s unilateral decision to enter the state of Louisiana into a lawsuit that eliminates health care protections for people with pre-existing conditions. Today, the attorney generalappeared on CNNto discuss his effort. During the interview, he made clear that prior to joining the lawsuit, he did not have a plan in place to ensure insurance companies do not deny coverage for the 849,000 people in Louisiana who could lose health care because they have a pre-existing condition.

“In Louisiana, 849,000 people have a pre-existing condition that could lead to an insurance company denying them healthcare if Attorney General Jeff Landry is successful in his latest lawsuit. It’s deeply disturbing that he has committed the state to this effort without consulting anyone and even worse, without having a plan in place to ensure these individuals do not lose their health care. Entering into this lawsuit should not be an impulse decision. It requires thoughtful consideration of the repercussions to the people of Louisiana. After seeing the attorney general’s interview on CNN this morning, it’s clear he did not think this through. Everyone acknowledges the Affordable Care Act (ACA) has flaws, and we should be working together to fix what’s broken. Protecting coverage for people with pre-existing conditions is one area where there is broad, bipartisan support. If successful, this lawsuit would cause chaos within the health care system, and the people of Louisiana would be left to pick up the pieces.”

Today, the attorney generalappeared on CNNto discuss the lawsuit. Pressed by a reporter about his plans for the 849,000 people in Louisiana who would lose health care if the court strikes down the pre-existing condition provision, he had no answer, indicating the attorney general had not spoken to anyone for a “Plan B” prior to filing the lawsuit. The interview is availablehere.

NOLA.com|Times Picayune: “The crux of Paxton's and Landry's argument is that Congress has repealed the "individual mandate" that required people to carry health insurance or pay a tax penalty, which means that the whole law should be declared unconstitutional. Paxton and Landry argue that the mandate for health insurance companies to cover people with pre-existing conditions cannot work if the individual mandate to carry health insurance will no longer be in place in 2019.

“…But even if he doesn't succeed at getting Obamacare thrown out, Paxton has asked the court to still strike down the requirement for insurance companies to cover pre-existing medical conditions in the 20 states participating in the lawsuit, including Louisiana.

“…The Texas Attorney General's office argued both in written briefs and court Wednesday that states -- not the federal government -- should get to decide whether health insurance companies are forced to cover people with pre-existing medical conditions.” [NOLA.com|Times Picayune, 9/7/2018]